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I knew this day was coming from mid Dec. when I was arranging Christmas gifts. It happened this morning as I was making chicken salad from our left over chicken. I used the LAST of my hot dill pickles. As I poured out the juice and dill weed out of the jar there was one hiding in the mess. One last pickle for me I went back to the pantry and tore through the jars looking for a stray. Alas, none were found and in looking I only found two more jars of honey bread and butter pickles and two jars of relish. This means rationing and probably some rehab will be needed but I think I can make it until mid summer, but it will be a struggle.

Please accept my sincere condolences and sympathy during this, your time of loss. During these dark times it may seem as if the sun will never shine again and your cukes will never bear more fruit; but trust me, dear gardening friend: the depth of your grief is only reflective of the joy that will come your way again after this year's harvest and you are once again able to restock your pantry with hot dilly pickles.

Drain pickles and put in a non-metallic dish. (I found a crock pot does well.)Pour sugar over pickles and mix. Add Tabasco sauce as desired (a little goes a long way).Stir about every hour or so for 24 hours.

Thanks for encouragement and suggestions they all help. As a starter I went to the seed box and made sure I have enough cuc's. seeds. I have plenty but this year no gifting -I am going to keep them all!!!

I'm a little slow but AtlantaMarie you just gave me a great idea. I bought a jar of sweet, hot pickles last summer at a famers market somewhere and just found it. But it just dawned on me why don't I make a batch of "never fail half sour dill pickles". I will buy the cuc's at the store, use my garlic, use my dried serrano's, and instead of dill I have that fabulous dill vinegar that I made by mistake last summer. I can make two qts. on the counter, they take a week to ferment and will keep three or four months in the frig. and they are fabulous. They are so good and so crunchy that at a party last summer I brought a full qt. and they were all gone in 45 min. No one had ever had such a crunchy pickle before. Whoo Whoo, no rehab, thank you

John, sorry for your loss! I think we're all there. I just used up the last of my frozen tomatoes and frozen strawberries I still have a couple quarts of green beans and some dill pickled carrots, but otherwise I'm all out of garden produce! I'm soooo eager to get some green things going.

All my pickles, blueberries, peaches and tomatoes are gone. Still have some grape jam, peach jam, and fig jam. I shipped most overseas to enjoy while I was there. Left some tomatoes, blueberries and jams when I came home. All the dill pickles were eaten (can't get them there in the stores) and only a few jars of zesty bread and butter were left.

Opened the store bought jar of hot sweet pickles to stave off withdrawal symptoms. Not anywhere as good as mine, they are made with jalapeno's instead of serrano's, I will get by. Made two qts. of half sour dills with dried serrano's and dill vinegar. Ready in a week or two. Note to self: in big letters in the Aug. 2015 garden calendar: NO GIFTING!!

If you don't do canning and such let me suggest making " never fail half sour dill pickles". As I said you make them on the counter top. They take about a week and keep in the frig for three or four months. But they won't last that long. If anyone wants it I can post the recipe.

@mollyhespra wrote: Please accept my sincere condolences and sympathy during this, your time of loss. During these dark times it may seem as if the sun will never shine again and your cukes will never bear more fruit; but trust me, dear gardening friend: the depth of your grief is only reflective of the joy that will come your way again after this year's harvest and you are once again able to restock your pantry with hot dilly pickles.

My goodness, Molly...you should work for Hallmark.

I know the feeling, John. Last year I ran out of garlic as well as stewed tomatoes. I was devastated. I have enough this year that it won't happen again.

I ran out of garlic last year also and bought some for he first time in 4 or 5 years. Last year I grew all hard neck which is not supposed to last as long so I will probably run out again. Everything else looks OK.